Recipe Review from 10/22/2018

There was a week off between my last recipe review post and this one.  I was away at a work conference for three days and the Husband covered the handful of meals for the week.  Slow cooked chili with fire roasted tomatoes and stuffed pork chops from a local meat store covered the end of the week.

As of this posting, we are still without an oven.

The Meal Plan for the week of 10/22:
Sat (L)  leftovers   (S)  out
Sun (L) Brussel sprouts with quinoa bowl  (S) Tuscan Soup
Mon (yoga/bkgrp/Legion mtgs)  out
Tues - leftover soup
Wed - leftover Brussel sprouts
Thurs - leftover soup
Fri - off

Lunches - chili (me)  sandwiches (the Husband)

Brussel Sprouts and Quinoa Bowl with citrus vinaigrette (Ckng Lght, Oct 2018) gluten free, vegetarian

I really enjoyed this one.  It's simple, so it comes together very quickly.  It's tasty - I loved the nutty quinoa with the citrus dressing and the creamy goat cheese.  And it's versatile - don't have Brussels sprouts?  Sub asparagus!  Don't have radicchio?  Sub red cabbage (which is exactly what I did).   This would be a great make-ahead lunch dish.  Keep the dressing separate and add just before eating.

Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from cookinglight.com

1 cup uncooked tricolor quinoa
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 cups chopped radicchio (from 1 head)  (I used red cabbage)
1 cup chopped Golden Delicious apple  (I used a River Belle)
1 1/2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1/3 cup)

Cook quinoa in water according to package directions. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Set aside.

Whisk together orange juice, vinegar, 1 tablespoon oil, honey, mustard, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add Brussels sprouts; cook, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Place 1/2 cup quinoa in each of 4 bowls. Top each with 1/2 cup radicchio, 1/4 cup apple, and 2/3 cup Brussels sprouts. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons orange-thyme vinaigrette; sprinkle evenly with goat cheese.

Slow Cooked Tuscan White Bean and Lentil Soup (Ckng Lght Nov, 2018)  gluten free, vegetarian
This was easy enough to pull together, it's hands off cooking for 6-8 hours, add the greens and let cook while setting the table, and serve. 

However, I found this to be overly bland, a bit muddy (I suspect from the lentils), and (my fault) the spinach became unappealing upon reheating.   I subbed spinach because the Husband wanted some greens for his sandwiches for the week and raw chard isn't the best.   So not my favorite slow cooked soup recipe. 

Recommended with some reservations.

Serves about 6
4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth

photo from cookinglight.com

2 (15-oz.) cans unsalted Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup uncooked brown or green lentils, rinsed

1 cup water (increase to 2 cups for Instant Pot)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1 (2-inch) Parmesan cheese rind
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bay leaf
4 cups coarsely chopped rainbow chard  (I used spinach)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Combine broth, beans, lentils, 1 cup water, onion, carrot, Parmesan rind, garlic, thyme, pepper, salt, and bay leaf in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until lentils are tender, 7 to 8 hours.

Stir in chard and lemon juice. Cover and cook on low until chard is wilted, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard cheese rind and bay leaf.

Divide soup evenly among 6 bowls. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Dark Sky by Mike Brooks (Keiko #2)

Dark Sky by Mike Brooks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb:  For the crew of the Keiko, their stay at the Grand House casino on New Samara was supposed to be a well-deserved rest.

It didn’t last.

Captain Ichabod Drift promised that the side-trip to the mining planet Uragan would be a quick in and out – a data retrieval job then back to the tables.

He was wrong.

When the revolution comes, all you can do is choose a side and hope to get out alive.

**********************

Read for October's book group.

The Captain and crew of the Keiko have mostly landed on their feet after the nearly disastrous previous job and are taking a little R&R on the planet New Samara where the local crime lord/gangster/ethically questionable CEO offers Drift an "easy" in/out job. Get into Uragan, get the the information, get out before plants storms shuts down all air traffic for three days, deliver information.

Ahh...if it were only that easy, we wouldn't have a story.

Once on the planet, the crew find themselves facing A Major Nemesis, miss their flight window, get caught in a local revolution, are split up, and have to overcome tremendous odds to get back to their ship. In a nutshell.

This is, ultimately, a brain-candy sci-fi romp. Perfect for commuting, sitting in an airport, or just checking out for a while. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's not a lot of substance, the characters are a bit two dimensional, there is nothing new about the plot...but it was fun. And sometime's ya just need fun.

I have a couple of tiny grievances I do need to air: Dear Authors, can we do something other than the overly predictable and tired bar fight trope? Can our adversaries sit down and have a drink instead of fisticuffs? Go for a stroll around the promenade? A little creativity here would be appreciated.

I am starting to find Jenna as a character...annoying. A rich girl who's trying to hide secrets but pretty much failing. Of all the crew, she's the one I'm liking the least - she's become the token white chick in our diverse, mutli-lingual, multi talented crew.

And a few highlights of things I did enjoy: I enjoyed having the crew divided, finding themselves on opposite sides of the revolution, and having to figure out how to get back to the ship. It was (for me) an interesting way to show both sides of the conflict and include some character development.

The additional antagonists (whose name I'm not even going to try and spell, but we'll call Ric), was an enjoyable - and needed - touch. He also found his crew split, caught unexpectedly in the revolution, and everyone had to work together. I think without this added element, this would have been rather ho-hum.

Ultimately, classic space pirates/smugglers trying to stay on the good side of the law while harboring shady pasts and, well, getting into all sorts of unexpected trouble. Plot is light, fun, humorous, and moves smartly along. Recommended if you like that sort of scifi.



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The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver (Lincoln Rhyme #1)

The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  Lincoln Rhyme was once a brilliant criminologist, a genius in the field of forensics -- until an accident left him physically and emotionally shattered. But now a diabolical killer is challenging Rhyme to a terrifying and ingenious duel of wits. With police detective Amelia Sachs by his side, Rhyme must follow a labyrinth of clues that reaches back to a dark chapter in New York City's past -- and reach further into the darkness of the mind of a madman who won't stop until he has stripped life down to the bone.
 
Read as an audio book.

A new to me series that I stumbled across either on Audible or Goodreads. At first, the narrator's intonation was disconcerting. He sounded like a computer generated voice and I kept checking my iPod to make sure I hadn't hit a "talk faster" button by accident (if something like that even exists). Nope. Just how this fellow came across. After a bit, I was able to settle into the story.

I enjoyed this quite a bit (once I moved past the how the narrator sounded). The protagonist Lincoln Rhyme was so refreshingly different from other "detectives" and mystery/thrillers that I've read. Writing from the point of view of a former detective now quadriplegic was so engaging for me - again, it was different. So very different.

Amelia Sachs. Conflicted, beautiful Amelia Sachs. This is one trope the author didn't escape - our beautiful tall, thin, leggy, long-haired red-head who wants to follow in the footsteps of her father, but found it wasn't for her. Now she's thrust into Rhyme's world of forensic evidence and she's not liking that either. She has her flaws, which Rhyme picks up on right away.

Using Sachs to work the crime scenes, Lincoln directs an assorted cast of characters from his bedroom. He is demanding, expecting no less than perfection from everyone, and exacting. Lincoln has a temper, has forgotten how to be contrite or polite, and learns a few things from Amelia over the course of the case.

The book does have the obligatory moment when the FBI steps in, where I briefly thought...Oh no, not the traditional "butting heads" with another agency, which ended up serving the purpose of introducing FBI agent Fred Delray. He came in like a bull in a china shop, took over the case, and the resolution was unconventional to say the least. I suspect he'll be back in the next book.

To sum up, once I move passed the narrator sounding like a computer, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was refreshingly different and I intend to read the next in the series. Recommended.





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Recipe Review from 10/8/2018

A very good week meal-wise!  Could have done without the 50 mph gale force winds off the Lake, but, putting things into perspective - Florida could have done without Hurricane Michael too.  

It's just a quinky-dink that most of the recipes below are vegetarian - the two that aren't have bacon in them.  For the recipes that have bacon, you can easily omit and make completely vegetarian.   Enjoy!


The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) out  (S) leftover tilapia and rice    (reviewed last week)
Sun (L) leftover chili  (S) Coconut Tempeh
Mon (yoga) Leftover tempeh
Tues - Broccoli fried rice
Wed - Butnut Squash and cabbage
Thurs (yoga) leftover broccoli rice
Fri (yoga) leftover butnut squash and cabbage

Lunches - Sandwiches for the Husband, Roasted Cauliflower Soup for me.


Coconut-curry Tempeh (Ckng Lght Sept 2018) gluten free, vegan
Yummy yummy yummy I've got tempeh in my tummy!   This dish rocked!  I could see making this with shrimp or tofu.  I made as written, only subbing red miso for the yellow.  I have limited options at the store when it comes to miso, and I've found red is the most versatile for me.  

I will note, the original recipe online omits the rice in the ingredient list.  I think I used two bags (2 cups each) of Uncle Bens 10 minute instant.  I loved this dish and can see making it again.   So simple, so tasty!  RECOMMENDED!

4 servings

1 (8-oz.) pkg. tempeh, cubed

photo from cookinglight.com

1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce 
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
4 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons yellow miso  (I used red miso)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided
3 cups cooked brown rice (I used two bags of Uncle Ben's 10 minute instant rice)
Lime wedges for garnish

Stir together tempeh; lower-sodium soy sauce; sesame oil; and curry powder in a bowl. Cook in a skillet over medium until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove tempeh; set aside.

Add sliced red bell pepper, matchstick-cut carrots, sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced peeled fresh ginger to skillet. Cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in light coconut milk and yellow miso until smooth.

Divide 3 cups cooked brown rice among 4 bowls; top with vegetable mixture and tempeh. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves. Garnish with lime wedges.

Broccoli Fried Rice with Kimchi Cream (Ckng Lght Oct 2018)

Another fabulous winner!  I used 1 pre-bagged, pre-chopped broccoli florets as that was just a tich over 4 cups.   Bacon took the longest to cook, once that was done everything else was a quick saute, set aside and move on.  

I thought the Kimchi Cream was rather pointless (I did make it).  This tastes fantastic without OR just serve the kimchi along side for a yummy, brine-y flavor hit.

I will note, I have no idea where people are buying "pre-cooked rice".  Not an option in my corner of the world.  I had regular basmati rice on hand, thought the flavors would complement, so I made a batch of that ahead of time and proceeded as written.   Whatever you choose for your rice, I don't think you can go amiss with this recipe.   RECOMMENDED!

4 - 5 servings

photo from cookinglight.com

4 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
4 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 (8.8-oz.) pkg. precooked microwavable brown rice (I used basmati rice)
1/2 cup chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup refrigerated jarred kimchi plus 1 Tbsp. kimchi juice
1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate (do not wipe out skillet). Add broccoli to skillet; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add sesame oil to skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Add rice, scallions, and sugar; cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Push rice mixture to edges of skillet to create a hole in center. Add eggs to center; cook, stirring often, until mostly cooked, about 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce, bacon, and broccoli. Remove from heat.

Process kimchi and kimchi juice, yogurt, mayonnaise, and salt in a food processor until mostly smooth.

Divide fried rice among 4 bowls. Top each with 2 tablespoons kimchi cream; garnish with scallions.


Loaded Cauliflower Soup  (Ckng Lght, Oct 2018)  gluten free
I made the slow cooker version noted at the bottom.  This...didn't grab my fancy.  I couldn't tell if I had burnt the soup or if that was the "roasted" part coming through.  You would think if it had been burnt, there would have been stuff stuck to the side of the slow cooker...but there wasn't.  Perhaps overcooked as opposed to burnt?  I just don't know.   I did stick with the bacon crumble and cheddar cheese toppings, and that helped with the flavor.  

I got four mid-week lunches out of this, plus supper on Saturday for two with a bit still leftover.  So mine made between 4 and 6 two cup servings.   Recommended with reservations. 

4-6 servings

6 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup chopped leek
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chopped cauliflower florets and stems (from 1 [2 1/2-lb.] head)
3 cups unsalted chicken stock
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup half-and-half
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium, stirring often, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; discard remaining drippings.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add leek, celery, and garlic to hot drippings in pan; cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until cauliflower is very tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove 1 cup vegetables with a slotted spoon; finely chop.

Pour remaining mixture into a blender; add half-and-half. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); attach lid, and place a clean towel over opening in lid. Process, starting slowly and increasing speed, until very smooth, 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Return mixture to pan with chopped vegetables; cook over medium until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; top with bacon, cheese, and chives.

Slow Cooker Method - Prepare as directed in step 1, substituting a skillet for Dutch oven. Omit step 2. Combine drippings, leek, celery, garlic, cauliflower, stock, salt, and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until tender, about 4 hours. Proceed with steps 3 and 4.


Charred Cabbage with Butternut Squash (Ckgn Lght Sept 2018) vegetarian
Another very tasty dish that came together faster than I anticipated.   This caught my attention because I had everything already on hand!   I did cut up my own squash, weighing out 16oz, and I should have used the whole thing.  16oz wasn't quite enough for four servings. 

I didn't use the whole head of red cabbage - maybe half? And that was plenty, seriously.  It calls to cut into wedges, but having cooked cabbages wedges in the past, I sliced into planks from top to bottom so the core would keep everything together.  Cooks so much more evenly!   Don't skip the cashews and cilantro on this one - oh so tasty!   I thought the leftovers were even better.  Recommended!

4 servings

1 (16-oz.) pkg. peeled and cubed fresh butternut squash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

photo from cookinglight.com

1 tablespoon white miso
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 small head red cabbage
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews, roughly chopped

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add squash, and reduce heat to medium; simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Combine squash, butter, miso, garlic, and red pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Cut cabbage in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 4 equal wedges. Heat canola oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add cabbage, cut sides down; cook until charred, about 5 minutes. Flip cabbage; cook until charred, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Sprinkle with salt.

Stir together sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and ginger in a bowl. Place 2/3 cup squash mixture in each of 4 bowls. Top evenly with cabbage wedges, sesame oil mixture, cilantro, and cashews.

Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron (Heartstrikers #1)

Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn't fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.

Now, sealed in human form and banished to the DFZ--a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit--Julius has one month to prove that he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.

He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons...

Read as an audio book.

First, let me begin by admitting I'm not a fan of YA and I picked this as a lark - it was on sale on Audible for $1.00 and had decent reviews. Much to my surprise, I enjoyed this a lot. I thought the narrator was a perfect fit for the voices, he did an excellent job of conveying the different nationalities, and his emotional intonation brought the characters to life. The story was engaging, the plot moved right along, and the characters were interesting.

And now, I'm going to pick it apart, because that's what I do.

As I noted, this is a YA book even though our protagonist is 24 years old. He's a very young dragon, and this is still a coming of age book. Not quite our classic fantasy "quest" book, but not far off either. I'm also going to note the ages of the dragons really bounced all over the place, which I found a bit disconcerting. Julian is the youngest at 24 years old, Katia was over 100, and her mothers were thousands of years old. That kinda messed with the mind a bit.

I did find the internal monologues during the action/fight scenes to be overly long and drawn out. The character is in a fight this isn't the time to reminisce and contemplate.

It was established early in the story the Lady of the Lakes doesn't like dragons, and the Detroit Free Zone (DFZ) is a very dangerous place for dragons to be. If anyone knew if Julius was a dragon, he could be hunted for the substantial bounty Algonquin offered. Yet...there are dragons doing business just fine in the DFZ. An inconsistency that niggled at me.

Julius gets in trouble for leaving witnesses in an alley, yet his sister Chelsey leaves bodies to wash-up on the shore of DFZ and that's not a problem? That's not drawing attention to oneself?

Dragons are supposedly highly secretive, hiding their true form from anyone and everyone, especially in the DFZ. Justin, Julius's brother, had not regard for keeping his mouth shut about their heritage around a human - yet that was something drilled into Julius and a transgression for which he could be killed. Another inconsistency.

I could go on with the inconsistencies. There were...many. Oh so very many. But as I noted above, I liked this book more than I expected. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, most plot threads were wrapped up (note: I said most plot threads) and there is definitely a teaser to take the reader to the next book. Which I will read.

Definitely recommended.



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Recipe Review from 10/1/2018

So I started the week with the menu below, made a loaf of zucchini bread, and the next day my oven died.Fortunately, the range-top still works and I still have one slow cooker (my small one died), so it's a small inconvenience. We are debating between new stove or repair existing.

Meal plan went out the window due to a bit of a wonky week for both the Husband and I, so one recipes were shuffled into the coming week.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) out (S) Butnut Squash Soup
Sun (L) Pasty (S)leftover soup
Mon (Yoga) soup
Tues - Tilapia Out
Wed (evening meeting) Broccoli and rice leftover lunchs
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri -Tilapia

Lunches - Vegetarian Chili


Classic Zucchini Bread (Two Peas and Their Pod) 
This was quite tasty, easy to assemble, used less oil than most recipes, but had a higher amount of sugar. And it only makes one loaf. This was a bit on the dense side (I did squeeze the liquid out of my zucchini), so more cake-like than bread like. I would consider making this again, but it wasn't quite what *I* envision zucchini bread to be. Still, recommended.

2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

photo from Two Peas and Their Pod

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature1
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on bread (optional)
I added 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Grease a loaf pan (8 x 4 x 2 1/2-inch) with nonstick cooking spray** (see my note below) and set aside.

In a clean linen-free kitchen towel or paper towels, squeeze out the excess water in the shredded zucchini. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

 In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Stir in the grated zucchini. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over the batter, if using.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the bread from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

**My note - I just replaced my bread pans because the last three loaves of bread I made stuck something horrible. My new pans (OXO) had a "warning" to avoid use of aerosol sprays - including "Misto" type pump sprays - as the oil builds up on non-stick pans and will make your baked goods stick. Interesting.


Spiced Tilapia with Coconut Rice (Ckng Light, Sept 2018)  gluten free
I subbed ocean perch for the tilapia (I don't know why), and the fish wasn't my favorite.  It cooked up nicely enough, but I had really small fillets so it was more rice than fish. I wouldn't even call it "spiced" fish, as the tumeric flavor was lost against the fish. 

However, the rice was delicious!  I did sub regular basmati rice - the flavors of the dish seemed to call for basmati, so I had a bit of extra cooking on the front end.  Not a biggie.  I loved the coconut milk with the basmati and lime juice.  I could have eaten just that combination and skipped the fish.

I would make this again, but use tilapia, or even halibut.  This would be awesome with grilled halibut...

Serves 4

photo from cookinglight.com

1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 (8.8-oz.) pkg. precooked microwavable whole-grain rice (such as Uncle Bens)
1 cup well-shaken and stirred light coconut milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided(skipped, wish I hadn't)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1/4 cup toasted unsweetened flaked coconut(skipped)

Stir together turmeric, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small dish. Sprinkle fish with spice mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add half of fillets; cook until golden brown.

Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Add rice, coconut milk, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to skillet; bring to a simmer over high. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro and lime juice. Divide rice mixture among 4 plates. Top evenly with carrots and fish. Sprinkle with coconut and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

Persepolis Rising by James SA Corey (The Expanse #7)

Persepolis Rising by James S.A. Corey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  In the thousand-sun network of humanity's expansion, new colony worlds are struggling to find their way. Every new planet lives on a knife edge between collapse and wonder, and the crew of the aging gunship Rocinante have their hands more than full keeping the fragile peace.

In the vast space between Earth and Jupiter, the inner planets and belt have formed a tentative and uncertain alliance still haunted by a history of wars and prejudices. On the lost colony world of Laconia, a hidden enemy has a new vision for all of humanity and the power to enforce it.

New technologies clash with old as the history of human conflict returns to its ancient patterns of war and subjugation. But human nature is not the only enemy, and the forces being unleashed have their own price. A price that will change the shape of humanity -- and of the Rocinante -- unexpectedly and forever...

Read for September book group.

I didn't finish in time for book group. I did eventually finish, but it took me a while. I'm not sure if I just wasn't in the mood to read a sweeping space opera, or if I am ready for this series to conclude. Maybe a bit of both, so that's going to color my review. This wasn't my favorite installment in the series, and there weren't even any death slugs.

To recap - (I'm assuming some familiarity with the series here) Holden and Naomi decide to retire when they get to Medina, and sell their share of the Rocinante to Bobbie and the gang. But before Bobbie can fully assume her Captaincy, Medina is overtaken by one of Duarte's new warships from Laconia. Laconia is claiming they want peaceful takeover, but the former Belter's start to rebel. Meanwhile, on Sol, the President of 1300 worlds is facing down that same gunship, except they now have a plan to push back. Worlds, people, and couples now find themselves divided as Laconia begins to bend Belter's, Inner's, and Earther's to Laconian rule.

This was a slow read for me. I had trouble feeling engaged with the characters - in part because it felt like everyone was experiencing some kind of emotional and physical rift. Drummer and Saba, Holden and Naomi, Bobbie and Amos, Bobbie and Alex, Holden/Naomi and the crew of the Rocinante, the newly appointed station Governor and his wife and child, Medina from Sol...it was a bit much and I really could have used some space or distraction.

And this installment, more so than previous books...except for that one where Holden's partner came back, was a transition book for the next one in the series. Did I mention I'm starting to feel like the authors could wrap up the story any book now? Yeah. While I dearly love the Expanse universe, the plot thread is beginning to become a bit threadbare.

So I sadly found the plot slow, the sub-plots were all in the same vein, the characters all faced similar emotional trial and tribulations, and there wasn't much variety. Gosh darn it. I really wanted to like this one. So it goes.

Still, I recommend this one IF you've read the previous six books in the series.



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Recipe Review from 9/23/2018

In which this particular week started with lunch with internationally know science fiction writer Walter Jon Williams! How cool is THAT! Very cool. Weather was too, with an easterly wind coming off the lake and pushing big breakers up against the shore. Brisk and blustery - Fall is definitely making its presence known.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftovers  (S) Out for Birthdays
Sun (L) Out with Author (S) Chicken Pot Pie
Mon (yoga/legion) leftover pot pie
Tues - leftover pot pie
Wed (The Husband gone for work) coconut cashew pancakes
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Friday (mtg at Pike Lake) - leftovers

Lunches - Glazed meatballs and soba noodles

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie (modified from Two Peas and Their Pod)
I modified this (aka "cheated") by using a store-bought crust. I don't do homemade pie crusts - I find the putzy, difficult, and extra work on top of chopping, cooking, and cleaning up (and in this case, an additional two homemade loaves of bread and my lunches for the week). So I cheat and I'm quite okay with that.

So. The recipe below is with a store-bought crust. The link will take you to the full recipe with homemade crust.

This was quite tasty and very reminiscent (but better!) of the little frozen pot pies we used to get growing up. The sauce thickened quite nicely, I added a bit extra veggies and cut back one cup on the chicken. Three cups of chicken was just too much for my taste buds. This came together very easily, and I had extra time while cooking to make the next recipe.

Recommended!

photo from Two Peas and Their Pod

Serves 6-8
1 box (2 crusts) Pillsbury ready made pie crust
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup diced onion
2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 and 3/4;cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cups shredded chicken or turkey
1 cup frozen peas

1. I pre-baked the bottom crust according to package directions in a 9" pie pan. When crust is done, set aside and turn oven temp to 400*. Oven should now be pre-heated for the pot pie!

2. To make the filling, heat the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the flour, salt, black pepper, thyme, parsley, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Whisk until there are no flour lumps and then simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Stir in the shredded chicken or turkey and frozen peas.

3. Carefully unroll second crust and place over pie filling.  Pinch edges closed and trim any excess.

4.With sharp knife, slice a few small slits in the center of the top crust.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Use some aluminum foil or a crust protector if the crust starts to get too brown.  Cool for 10 minutes, cut into slices and serve.

Glazed Meatballs with Soba Noodles  (Ckng Lght, Sept 2018)  gluten free option**
This was another recipe in the make-head lunches in the September issue of Cooking Light.  So far, I made the Greek Chickpea Salad and the Curried Chicken and Rice.  I was in the mood for some Asian flavors and went with this one for the week.  It was easy enough to toss the meatballs into the oven at the same time as the pot pie.

This came together fairly quickly, several of the steps overlapping so it didn't feel like a lot.  You could certainly simplify the cabbage part by buying pre-shredded cabbage and carrot mix.   My main substitution was I swapped out the beef and subbed ground turkey.  I may have overcooked the turkey; mine ended up very dry, which was a real disappointment. 

As "advertised" this makes four servings.  My lunch tubs are all ready to go for the week - I just need to remember my sides (string cheese, grapes, and apples) and I'm good to go!

12 ounces 90% lean ground sirloin
1/3 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs**
1 large egg

photo from cookinglight.com

1 garlic clove, grated
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 ounces uncooked soba noodles or whole-wheat spaghetti**
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon rice vinegar, divided
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/3 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine beef, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; shape into 20 meatballs. Arrange meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400°F until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high. Add noodles; cook until al dente, 4 to 6 minutes for soba. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Place noodles in a large bowl. Toss with 2 teaspoons oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar, and remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt. Add cabbage, scallions, and carrots; toss to combine.

Stir together soy sauce, honey, Sriracha, remaining 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar in a medium skillet. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Add meatballs; toss to coat. Serve with noodles.

Coconut Cashew Pancakes (Ckng Lght, Sept 2018) vegetarian
I made these for supper - or "brinner", as my friend would call it ("breakfast" for dinner).  This came together very quickly, which was nice.  I did have problems with the batter being very thick and needing more liquid than the recipe called for.  I don't have white whole-wheat flour, so I subbed 1/4 cup ww and 1 cup AP.

I would make these again - I liked the hint of nuttiness from the cashews, with a hint of coconut in the background.  I added a poached egg on top for a bit of extra protein. Yummy! 

I had four meals of three 'cakes each time, these were quite filling!

photo from cookinglight.com

1 cup light coconut milk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour
3 tablespoons chopped cashews
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup pure maple syrup, divided
3 tablespoons toasted unsweetened flaked coconut, divided

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high. Whisk together light coconut milk, 1 large egg, light brown sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Stir in white whole-wheat flour, chopped cashews, baking powder, and kosher salt until just combined. Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake into pan. Cook until tops are covered with bubbles, about 3 minutes. Flip; cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup; sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. toasted unsweetened flaked coconut.